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CTE vs Subquery Decision

MediumSQL & Data Manipulation00:00
Practice interviewer
In session
5 left
00:00

Your question is CTE vs Subquery Decision. Take a moment with it on the right.

Talk me through your thinking if you like. When you're confident, submit your answer and I'll grade it like a real screen (7/10 or better passes).

You need to log in / sign up to chat or submit.

Problem

When would you use a CTE (WITH clause) versus a subquery in SQL?

What to cover

  1. When a CTE is the better choice
  2. When a subquery is the better choice
  3. Anything only one of them can do
  4. Whether there is a performance difference, and how you would check

There is no query to submit. Explain your reasoning; short SQL snippets are welcome as examples.